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Part 1, First Response

“We are ready. We are prepared,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw

From apathy to panic: timeline of Canada's home front battle against COVID-19Back to video

The COVID-19 crises hit the world hard in late January 2020, plunging both federal and provincial politicians into a new world war, this time against a never seen before enemy, a highly infectious coronavirus, one that spread like the flu.

By mid-March 2020, every person in every nation was conscripted to fight World War COVID-19, with all hands on deck, our only weapons being hand washing and soap, hand sanitizer and face masks, ventilators, solid supply chains and a robust health-care system. It took Canadian politicians and health-care officials some time to master this new file, but they started to dig in rapidly in late January, when news of the Wuhan outbreak hit.

In a series of posts, I will present a timeline of the efforts, statements and attitudes of Canadian leaders on the home front. Alberta was an early leader in both ordering supplies and in testing, so there will be a particular focus on that province’s response.

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First weeks of December, 2019: Jitendra “J.P.” Prasad, who runs the Alberta Health Services supply procurement system, hears disturbing news about a “strange flu” in Wuhan, China. “We have contacts from China and a lot of the conversation from them was, ‘Hey, J.P., we think something is happening that may impact us.’” At once, Prasad’s team looks at how to increase stock. If they are placing an order for five days supply of masks, gloves and gowns, they now decide to double that order, increasing their emergency stockpile.

Late Dec. 2019: Based on the Wuhan situation, Alberta Health Services management approves a huge new buy of equipment, including about 500,000 additional N95 masks. This gets Alberta near the front of the line of the soon-to-be tightening global medical supply market. Most personal protective equipment is manufactured in China, Prasad said, with Edmonton supplier Pri-Med having its gloves, gowns, and masks made in China. The exception is N95 masks, which are mostly made in Europe or the U.S.

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Jan. 23: News that a novel coronavirus out of Wuhan, China and Chinese officials is locking down Hubei province explodes. In Vancouver, there are reports that face masks are selling out in area stores. At once China goes from the world’s biggest manufacturer of most medical Personal Protective Equipment to buying millions of face masks and other items from around the world each day.

A man uses alcohol to disinfect the grounds nearby the Wuhan Huoshenshan hospital construction site on Jan. 28, 2020 in Wuhan, China.Getty Images

Jan. 23: Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, tells reporters that simply wearing a mask is not an effective preventative measure. “It can sometimes make it worse, if the person puts their finger in their eye or touches their face under their mask. We would only recommend putting a mask on if you were sick and were entering a medical facility, such as a hospital. We have no recommendation for people to wear a mask (when) going about their daily business.”

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In coming months, Tam will repeatedly return to these talking points against the mass use of face masks by the public. She will also repeatedly stress that her recommendations comes from the World Health Organization and are based on science.

The WHO updated its influenza pandemic recommendations in 2019, issuing a 91-page report on best practices. It noted there is a balancing act between what might be done to control spread and what the public would do and would accept. It issued a series of recommendations for both local epidemics and for global pandemics of varying severity.

For any pandemic, hand hygiene was the core recommendation.

For a moderate pandemic, the avoidance of crowds was also recommended.

For a high pandemic, face masks for the public and school closures were recommended.

For an extraordinary pandemic, work place closures and internal travel restrictions were recommended.

Not recommended under any circumstances were measures such as contact tracing, the quarantine of exposed individuals, entry and exit screening, and border closures.

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From the start, Canada’s adoption of the WHO recommendations was inconsistent, with Canada following the WHO’s lead against border closure, mandatory quarantine and the mass use of masks by the public, even as other countries like Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore adopted all these measures and successfully slowed the spread of the virus.

On the other hand, Tam and provincial medical authorities immediately brought in contact tracing for the associates of anyone who came down with the disease, a measure that WHO experts had recommended should not be used no matter how severe a pandemic became.

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Jan. 24. Dr.Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer, makes her first public address on the outbreak in China: “It’s natural that we feel worried when there’s a new threat to our health identified, so I want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can in Alberta to monitor the situation and to protect your health.”

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Jan. 27: In the House of Commons, Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux starts to dig into the issue of medical supplies, asking about the huge store of drugs and goods — valued at $300 million in a 2012 federal audit — that the federal government is supposed to have in stock for emergencies: “The national emergency antiviral stockpile was created to ensure that antivirals could be accessed quickly in response to an influenza pandemic… Can the health minister confirm that there are enough antiviral drugs in the national emergency stockpile to address a possible broader outbreak?”

Health Minister Patty Hajdu replies: “In fact, there is no particular antiviral developed for this coronavirus as it is relatively new, but I can tell you that Canada’s research community is working closely with our international partners.”

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Jan. 27: Conservative MP Alain Rayes: “Given that this file obviously involves federal and provincial jurisdictions alike, can the prime minister tell us what steps he has taken with all the provinces, including Quebec, to prepare for and deal with the coronavirus?”

Hajdu: “I repeat, the risk remains low and we are working closely with our partners.”

Jan. 27:Hinshaw explains the nature of the new threat and how medical officers can respond to it by providing useful information: “This is a new virus. It’s jumped from an animal reservoir to humans. We don’t yet know what animal that was. So it’s really natural that people are feeling afraid about something that’s new, and that’s why we’re wanting to make sure that we’re being transparent, sharing all the information we have. Because when people have more information about the things they can do to protect themselves, like hand-washing, like staying away from other people if they are feeling ill, protecting others or covering coughs and sneezes, it gives people a sense of control.”

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Jan. 29:Rayes in the House of Commons: “The number of cases of coronavirus is soaring in China and around the world. In Canada there are three confirmed cases, and several Canadians are currently under observation… Can the prime minister tell us that he is certain that the situation is under control and that he is satisfied with his government’s response to this crisis?”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau replies: “Our health system is very well prepared to deal with the coronavirus in Canada. We are taking all necessary precautions to prevent it from spreading. We are collaborating with our partners abroad, and Dr. Tam, who is the head of our Public Health Agency, is working as an expert at the WHO to ensure international coordination. Our best practices are in place at hospitals and we have put preventive measures in place at airports. The risk to Canadians remains low and our health care system is prepared to prevent the virus from spreading.”

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Jan. 29: With the reported death toll in Wuhan now at more than 200, there is a global run on the purchase of masks,reports the National Post: “On Amazon and Alibaba, a global run for anti-virus masks had the websites run out of stock as of Wednesday. Across China, Hong Kong and Singapore, people lined up for hours at stores and pharmacies hoping to secure dwindling supplies. People from San Francisco to Orlando said they were unable to find surgical masks at their usual outlets… The protective gear is even flying of the shelves in major Canadian cities, such as Montreal and Toronto.”

Mark Loeb, an infectious disease specialist at McMaster University, tells the National Post that studies done during the SARS epidemic of 2003 found that for medical professionals, wearing any type of mask compared with none can reduce chances of getting sick by about 80 per cent.

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Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam listens to questions at a press conference on COVID-19 at West Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Jan. 29: At Parliamentary Health Committee, NDP MLA Don Davies asks Tam: “Given that there’s no specific antiviral treatment recommended for the coronavirus yet, I’m curious what treatment options are available right now to infected patients?”

Tam replies: “The current medical treatment is supportive care. That is what’s available, as it is for many respiratory viruses that don’t have a specific vaccine or treatment. In terms of medical care, if someone has pneumonia you may need to support them with oxygen. If someone is really severe you may actually need ventilation. There’s also hydration and making sure someone can recover from the illness… The world is scanning every single antiviral we already have available to see if it has activity against this particular virus, and that is a global collaborative approach.”

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Tam: “On the vaccine, there have been a number of vaccines that have been previously developed for coronaviruses, but not this specific one. The world, again, is pulling together everyone who actually has one of these vaccines and seeing what we can do to accelerate that development. What I can say is that even with the most rapid acceleration, I don’t believe we are going to see a vaccine that is ready for probably a year. We have to plan for the fact that we’re going to be managing this particular virus with no specific vaccine.”

Liberal MPSonia Sidhu: “How can we avoid misinformation spreading on social media?”

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Tam: “I think that is the challenge of our day. Our approach is to try to provide consistent, credible information through different channels … We have to try to improve, very broadly, Canadians’ literacy in terms of health and what they can do to protect themselves but also almost their social media literacy. You cannot believe every rumour and everything you see … As I have always said, the epidemic of fear could be more difficult to control than the epidemic itself.”

Liberal MP Mike Kelloway asks Tam: “I hear that the risk to Canadians is low, and you’ve mentioned it several times today. Can you unpack that again around the terminology of ‘low’?”

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Tam: “It can get very technical, but on a broader scale, the risk is obviously very high in China. It has 99% of cases and transmissions. We have had, not unexpectedly, some imported cases that are being well managed. What we look at is the likelihood of importation by volume of travellers from an affected area, followed by essentially looking at the impact from its severity but also looking at impact in terms of whether we have the measures to mitigate the impact. It’s a balance of all of those things. Right now, the cases are in China. Very few are exported. Yes, there’s human-to-human transmission, but those are generally for close contacts. With regard to the severity of illness, there are some severe cases, but the deaths have occurred in older people with underlying medical conditions. With all of that pulled together, for the general public who have not been to China, the risk is low in Canada.”

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“Not going to the affected areas is important. The people who are coming through the airports, I say buy masks, buy gloves, try and make sure that you don’t touch anything … That’s what I’m saying …,” Zannsays.

“You are the government representative,” Solomon says. “Are you freelancing on fundamental issues in a global health emergency? I mean it because I want the Government of Canada’s view.”

Zann replies: “I don’t know what Government of Canada’s views are regarding gloves and masks but I do know that they are available. And I do know that people are concerned who are travelling and I think that they need to look after themselves.”

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“With all due respect,” Solomon says, “and I know you’re a rookie MP, you’re on a national program, Canadians are listening to you and you don’t know the government’s position, you don’t know what the plan (to pick up Canadians in Wuhan) is going to get there, you can’t tell us about quarantine, you can’t tell us the government’s view.”

Zann replies: “I am telling you that they don’t know yet. We are working on it right now.”

Jan 30:The World Health Organization declares coronavirus to be an international public health emergency.

In the House, Conservative MP Leona Alleslev asks about Zann’s commentary: “Yesterday the member for Cumberland—Colchester appeared on national television to outline the government’s response plan for coronavirus. As the government’s representative, she said people going through airports should buy gloves, buy masks and try not to touch anything. Is this the message the government is sending to Canadians? If the minister cannot tell Canadians her plan, can she at least stop the Liberal backbench from spreading fear and panic?”

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Hajdureplies: “There is a very real risk in terms of spreading misinformation and fear. We are working diligently to make sure that all members of the House have accurate information, including members on our side, and members of the public as well as our health care ally professionals.”

In Alberta, Hinshaw works with Alberta Health officials to order 50 more ventilators. Alberta has 477 ventilators, but at this early point in the outbreak officials deem more will be necessary in coming months.

Jan. 31: On CBC’s Power & Politics, Hajduprovides an update: “We’ve been following closely the recommendations of the World Health Organization,” she says, then adds there is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted by people who are asymptomatic despite a German report suggesting otherwise. “We’re comfortable that we’re completely up to date in terms of our approach and what the science says. There is a very low risk to Canadians.”

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Canada’s Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu, takes part in a press conference on how the government is grappling with novel coronavirus.BLAIR GABLE/REUTERS

Jan. 31. In Alberta, Hinshaw says in light of the WHO’s announcement about coronavirus: “The novel coronavirus is a serious public health threat to the globe. Today’s announcement from the World Health Organization is a significant step and one that is not to be taken lightly. We are ready, we are prepared.”

Feb. 1. Keith Gerein of the Edmonton Journal interviews Hinshaw who explains Alberta has a pandemic plan from 2014. The plan considers pandemics up to a “severe” pandemic like the Spanish flu of 1918 that killed 4,000 Albertans out of a population of approx. 550,000.

Reports Gereinof the plan: “A range of interventions are discussed, including the use of quarantines, isolation and social distancing, which would restrict where and when people can gather, and may include school or workplace closures. Workplaces, particularly those that have to provide essential services such as food, fuel and communications, may have to implement controls. These could include installing physical barriers such as Plexiglas, or forcing workers to wear masks. In the health system, health workers may be asked to provide care outside of their normal duties and in buildings not normally used for health care. Retired health workers, volunteers and students may even be called into service. Alberta Health Services has an emergency stockpile of supplies such as gloves, masks and syringes. It also includes bodybags.”

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In the stockpile, Alberta has enough key medical supplies, such as masks and gloves for healthcare workers, to last for three or four months.

Feb 2: The Prime Minister’s Office convenes its Incidence Response Group and announces plans to move out Canadians still trapped in Wuhan, then to quarantine them at Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ont., the federal government’s first breach of WHO protocol on quarantines for pandemics.

Feb. 3: In other counties both the production and mass use of masks ramps up. In Taiwan, COVID-19 researcher JasonWongreports, a new name-based rationing system is announced for purchase of face masks: National Health Insurance card holders can purchase two masks per week at contracted pharmacies for NT$5 apiece (US$0.17). NHI cards ending in odd numbers can purchase on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; NHI cards ending in even numbers can purchase on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; Sundays are open to all.

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Feb. 3: Louis Hugo Francescutti, professor in the school of public health at the University of Alberta, addresses the danger of the new virus: “The regular influenza that is going around right now is more likely to kill you than this novel coronavirus… The scale of what’s going on (in China) is nowhere near what is likely to happen here, and if it does, we’ll deal with it. We’ve got the infrastructure. We’ve got well trained people, we’ve got the resources.”

Feb. 4:The response of many Canadians to the outbreak in China is to ignore it or not much worry about it. Most Canadians say they’re not concerned about coronavirus, says a Maru/Blue Poll, commissioned by Postmedia Inc. The pollster contacted 1,513 adults who are members of DART & Maru/Blue’s panel and found 29 per cent of respondents are worried about contracting coronavirus, while 71 per cent are not concerned.

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Feb 5: NDP MPDon Davies asks Tamat the Parliamentary health committee: “Yesterday, health officials in British Columbia announced a new presumed case of novel coronavirus. The patient was a woman in her 50s from the Metro Vancouver area who had recently been in close contact with visitors from Wuhan. I think this would be the first instance of domestic transmission in Canada. Does this possible case of secondary infection change your assessment of risk posed by the coronavirus to Canadians, and how do you plan to respond?”

A medical official travels with Canadians quarantined from a coronavirus-stricken ship to Cornwall, Ont. Submitted photo.

Tam replies: “As I understand it, the potential transmission occurred inside a family setting. This is a household close-contact transmission setting, which is not unexpected. That does not mean that the virus was spread further. They (B.C. public health authorities) will be doing their investigation as to exactly what the situation is. As with any infectious disease, public health units are very equipped to do case and contact tracing and management, but it would not be unexpected to have limited person-to-person transmission in a closed-contact setting, and it does not change our risk assessment for Canada. The risk remains low.”

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Tam is consistently a strong advocate of contact tracing, even as this process goes against the 2019 WHO recommendation against contact tracing no matter how severe a pandemic gets: “Contact tracing can reduce onward transmission; however, the relevant ethical issues and inefficient usage of resources mean that the balance of benefits and harms is uncertain. Contact tracing requires a large amount of resources, including human resources… There is no obvious rationale in most member states.”

Davies continues, asking: “The World Health Organization’s Feb. 1 situation report on the novel coronavirus stated, ‘WHO is aware of possible transmission of 2019-nCoV from infected people before they developed symptoms.’ An early study on asymptomatic transmission of the virus published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine also appeared to confirm that asymptomatic transmission is possible. How does the existence of asymptomatic transmission change your approach to containing this virus, if at all?”

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Tam replies: “We are aware of a very small number of case reports in which it’s suspected that asymptomatic transmission may have occurred, but these have not been verified. In fact, with regard to the New England Journal study, there’s now been a publication to say that it was incorrect and that this person was, in fact, symptomatic and had been taking some medication that suppressed his fever, for example. That’s a very important fact to verify and correct. I’m very happy that German scientists and WHO have verified that.

“We have heard other potential reports, which have not been substantiated. What we know is that it could possibly happen, but we think it would be rare and very unlikely that asymptomatic persons would be the key driver of an actual outbreak or epidemic… It’s really a droplet-spread disease. It’s when someone’s coughing most vigorously and they’re more symptomatic that, we believe, this virus is transmitted.”

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Davies continues, asking: “Dr. Tam, you anticipated where I was going to go next. It seems likely that there are individuals who are infected with the coronavirus who are going undetected because they are presenting mild symptoms and they are, thus, not interacting with health systems yet. If that’s the case, can you give us an idea of what proportion of overall cases that might represent?”

Tam replies: “It’s actually a very evolving proportion, because, as you can imagine, at the beginning of any outbreak, it is the people who have the most severe symptoms who present. Many of the teams in China are currently unpacking the mild symptoms that are the underside of the iceberg, if you like. The tip of the iceberg is the severe cases. Right now, just proportionately, approximately 20% of cases are considered serious. That means that 80% have some other symptomatology that is less serious. That is the fluctuating proportion based on current data.”

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Bloc MPLuc Thériault asks of Tina Namiesniowski, head of the Public Health Agency of Canada: “On Jan. 29, you said that provincial laboratories were able to detect cases of infection, but that the confirmation is done in Winnipeg. Is that still the case? Would it not be more efficient to have the territories, provinces and Quebec confirm directly? Couldn’t public health authorities and hospitals confirm cases themselves? If that is already being done, so much the better, but if not, why not?

Tam answers: “There is a network of laboratories called the Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network. These are mainly provincial laboratories, public-held laboratories. Some of them can test for the coronavirus, but not all. The ones that can are in Ontario and British Columbia, but because the testing is so new and this virus is so new, they are still sending the samples to the Winnipeg lab just to be sure that this is what we have … The idea, though, is that eventually there will be tests that are easier to conduct … Even commercial tests could be available at some point, whereby many more people will be able to test for this virus. I think it’s just a matter of time, but right now confirmation is felt to be the most prudent precautionary approach.”

Feb. 7: WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warns people not to hoard masks and other personal protective equipment: “There is limited stock of PPE (personal protective equipment), and we need to make sure we get it to the people who need it most, in the places that need it most. The first priority is health workers. The second priority is those who are sick or caring for someone who is sick. WHO discourages stockpiling of PPE in countries and areas where transmission is low.”

Supplies at the Canadian National Emergency Strategic Stockpile

Ghebreyesus says worldwide demand for PPE has increased by 100 per cent since the Wuhan outbreak, with prices rising 20 per cent: “As a result, there are now depleted stockpiles and backlogs of four to six months. Global stocks of masks and respirators are now insufficient to meet the needs of WHO and our partners.”

Feb. 7: China continues to be in need of PPE, so other countries, including the United States and Canada, respond with aid. In Canada, the federal government has stockpiles for pandemics and emergencies, the National Antiviral Stockpile and the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile, the NESS. First created in 1952, the NESS was used most recently for such incidents as the H1N1 outbreak in 2009 and the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2018. It is run by the Public Health Agency of Canada, with two central depots in Ottawa and nine other warehouses across Canada. It has such supplies as ventilators, stretchers and personal protective equipment including masks, gloves and disposable gowns. It also has quarantine units that can support up to 300 people. In 2012, a federal audit found the value of NESS supplies to be $300 million, $112 million of that in pharmaceuticals.

But in the spring of 2019, the government of Canada threw out two million N95 masks and 440,000 medical gloves when it shut down an emergency stockpile warehouse in Regina, a CBC investigation would find in April 2019. In an email to CBC, a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada, which oversees the stockpile, said the masks and gloves had been purchased in 2009 and “had passed the limit of five years for their use, as recommended by the manufacturer.” The masks had expired in 2014.

Feb. 9: Global Affairs Canada, a federal agency, announces Canada will ship medical supplies to China: “To support China’s ongoing response to the outbreak, Canada has deployed approximately 16 tonnes of personal protective equipment, such as clothing, face shields, masks, goggles and gloves to the country since Feb. 4, 2020.”

“Canada is saddened by the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak, especially the loss of life, on the Chinese population. Personal protective equipment is essential to prevent and limit the spread of the virus,” says Karina Gould, Minister of International Development.

Feb. 9: With seven cases of novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Canada, Trudeau is on a tour of Africa, stopping in Ethiopia on this day. Asked about the virus outbreak in Asia, he says, “We are confident that in Canada the risk remains low.”

Asked if Canada can do anything more to help China, Trudeau says: “Canada has responded to the Chinese requests for medical equipment. We’re going to continue to work with them to ensure that they have the resources to contain this virus. We recognize it is a difficult and uncertain time for them and for everyone around the world but as an international community we do need to continue to work together and we are there to help.”

Feb. 10: In briefing notes provided to Hajdu for a meeting with provincial health ministers, Hajdu is told to talked about the medical supply of personal protective equipment only if asked, and to say: “The National Emergency Strategic Stockpile is able to secure modest supplies of surgical masks and N95 masks with deliveries staggered by industry due to mounting market pressures.”

The memo also notes that these items are in high demand and a provincial and territorial inventory should be conducted, Brian Lilly of the Toronto Sun would later reveal in an April post.

Feb. 11:Hajdu reportedly says Canada has a sufficient stockpile of masks for domestic use. “There are some rumblings around a supply chain shortage (of masks) and we’re monitoring that very carefully. We want to remind people that the only people that need to wear a mask are those that are ill.”

Feb. 13:Barry Power of the Canadian Pharmacist Association tells Global News that demand for face masks is high: “There’s been consistent demand since the whole coronavirus issue started in January, it hasn’t really gone away.”

Power also says that pharmacists are encouraging customers to pass on the purchase, as per advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada. “They really try to talk people out of buying the mask, because they’re not recommended. People are much better off getting their flu shot, because they’re at a much higher risk of getting influenza.” Tam tells Global there is no proven need for those in Canada to wear face masks: “Wearing masks when you’re well is not an effective measure.”

Feb. 13: Perth, Ont. emergency doctor James Simpsonwarns in an Ottawa Citizen guest column that the health system will buckle if coronavirus hits hard. “There is no capacity in the system right now to manage a crisis. In fact, most hospitals currently have negative capacity as many are running with over 100 per cent of their beds being filled. If we had a sudden surge of ill patients, we would be unable to manage them appropriately or safely… China has responded to the crisis by building emergency hospitals. We could likewise increase our ability to handle a crisis – by building emergency nursing homes. Or by changing the rules around patients designated ALC to be able to discharge them from hospital faster. Our system is highly vulnerable right now and without creative changes we may find ourselves overwhelmed.”

Feb. 17: Daily mask output is now five million masks in Taiwan, with the goal of reaching 10 million per day, ramping up to this high level from just 2.6 million per day in less than one month.

Feb. 21: In Taiwan, with school to restart after an extended Lunar New Year holiday, the Ministry of Education guidelines for any new suspension of classes due to confirmed coronavirus cases, Stanford medical researcher Jason Wang reports: “If 1+ in a class (student or teacher) at the K-9 level is diagnosed with COVID-19, that class is suspended for 14 days; If there are 2+ cases in a school, the school is closed for 14 days; If one-third of schools in a township, city, or district are shut down, all others are closed; If a student or teacher is diagnosed in a high school, college, or university, all classes they attend or teach are suspended for 14 days; If 2+ cases of COVID-19 in an institution at any level, it will close for 14 days.”

Feb. 24: Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitchpredictsthat in the coming year 40 to 70 per cent of people around the world will be infected with coronavirus, reports the Atlantic, many of them with mild symptoms or asymptomatic responses: “As with influenza, which is often life-threatening to people with chronic health conditions and of older age, most cases pass without medical care … With so little data, prognosis is difficult. But the concern that this virus is beyond containment — that it will be with us indefinitely — is nowhere more apparent than in the global race to find a vaccine, one of the clearest strategies for saving lives in the years to come.”

Feb 26:Hajdu is asked if Canadians should stockpile food and medication. Hajduencourages Canadians to buy supplies in case of an emergency during a coronavirus outbreak. “It’s always good when there’s a global crises like coronavirus to be prepared because things can change quickly… It’s good to be prepared because things can change quickly. It’s really about, first of all, making sure that you do have enough supplies so if someone in your family becomes ill, if you yourself become ill, that you have what you need to survive for a week or so without going outside.”

“Stockpile food and medication.” That’s a quote. That’s something you’d expect from a whack-job prepper, not a federal Minister of Health. Reckless in the extreme. Her job is to reassure people - not scare the shit out of them. #cdnpoli#lpc#cpc#ndphttps://t.co/kkUtNAueFA

Feb. 26: Parliamentary health-care committee, Liberal MP Marcus Powlowski, a doctor from Thunder Bay, Ont., asks federal public health officials: “The question I’d really like to get in is this: Do you have enough resources, with both the Public Health Agency and the provincial ministries of health? … Certainly, it’s going to be a massive burden on the hospitals and hospital resources in terms of the number of beds, negative-pressure rooms, ICU beds, ventilators… Even at this stage, in terms of gearing up, do you have enough resources in terms of people and money to be doing your job adequately?”

Dr. Howard Njoo, deputy chief public health officer, Public Health Agency of Canada, replies: “That’s a tough question. For me, personally, I could always use more resources and more money, but that’s just me. As part of the Public Health Agency of Canada and also the Government of Canada, I would say we’re doing well. As I said, it’s always nice to speculate about what you could do with more resources, but, certainly, as you can see in terms of the whole-of-government approach and what we’ve been doing to date, I think we’ve been successful to date. I don’t want to predict what might happen in the future if the global situation changes, but so far so good. As far as the health care system goes, it’s difficult for me to comment, because, as we all know, health care is a provincial responsibility in terms of the system, the resources and so on. We are, obviously, discussing that with our chief medical officers of health, and they are also very cognizant. They’re in contact with their physicians and front-line workers to see what could or should be done and what can be adjusted.”

Feb 26: NDP MP Jenny Kwan: “The Minister of Health just today is encouraging Canadians to stockpile food and medications in their homes in case they or a loved one falls ill with the novel coronavirus. I have a question about that too. If the minister is encouraging people to stockpile food and medications, how much food should they be stockpiling? How much medication should they be stockpiling? Should they be stockpiling surgical masks as well? In Hong Kong, in China and elsewhere, the shelves have become empty, and people are desperate to get these items. I’m trying to get a sense of what statements like this mean for Canada.”

Njoo replies: “Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general, is indicating that the window of opportunity for containment is closing, but at the present time, it is not, in his opinion, a worldwide pandemic. Having said that, we recognize that there is certainly a widespread outbreak in several parts of the world but not yet in Canada. With our 12 cases in Canada, we’re still in containment mode. Obviously, I can’t speak for the minister, but certainly my sense is that part of her job, along with that of Dr. Tam, myself and other officials, is to sensitize the public to the fact that while we are still in a containment phase, we have to start preparing. We have to look at all potential outcomes. If that includes making sure that you have your medications up to date and that you have an adequate supply at home, that’s all part of it; so that’s one thing.”

Feb. 27.Tamtells reporters that her agency is still working on an inventory of how many N95 masks are stockpiled across the country and how many of the masks health care systems would need in the event of a pandemic.

Tam tells reporters that the Public Health Agency of Canada serves a national coordination role for planning and preparing for health emergencies, and can do bulk purchasing on the provinces’ behalf, the CBC reports: “As a result of the changing landscape because of COVID-19, we are pulling together that kind of information right now.”

Feb. 27: At the Alberta Legislature, Health Minister Tyler Shandro addresses COVID-19 spread: “We’ve been taking steps to make sure that we have the materials and supplies available to us to be able to deal with any situation that might come to Alberta.”

Feb. 27: With incoming travellers coming from known infected areas such as South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran, and mainland China, Hinshaw advises caution and thorough hand washing. “As we prepare for the possibility that this virus could come to Alberta, I urge you to practise the good infection-prevention habits.

Feb. 28:The Canadian Press reports that most of Calgary’s city councillors had lunch at a restaurant in Chinatown this week to try to help reduce fears about the coronavirus. Businesses in Chinatowns across Canada have reported a drop in activity since COVID-19 hit China in January and started to spread around the world. Coun. Druh Farrell, whose ward includes Chinatown, said council members went to the restaurant to show Calgarians it’s safe to eat out.

Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!

They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk! https://t.co/UxZRwxxKL9

March 2: Canada now has 27 cases.Tam spells out the national strategy of contact tracing to reporters: “Our domestic response continues to focus on containment to prevent and delay the spread of the virus in our communities by detecting cases early, isolating and caring for patients, and rigorously tracing contacts.”

Until now testing for the virus has been focused on persons presenting with symptoms and a history of travel to an affected country, or close contact with someone who has, Tam says, according to a Chronicle-Herald report. Health officials will expand testing to detect cases of COVID-19 beyond those parameters in order to detect any spread at the community level. Canadians can continue to do their part, Tam says, by frequent hand washing, always covering their mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, and staying home when sick. “By taking these simple measures you can contribute to slowing the spread of respiratory viruses, protect the most vulnerable such as older populations and those with underlying medical conditions and reduce the impact on our health systems.”

Tam says Canadians need to be prepared for the potential future deployment of public health measures meant to interrupt transmission of the virus at the community level, such as the suspension of large-scale gatherings and the closure of schools and workplaces.

March 3: Euronews reports that European countries are starting to clamp down on masks exports: “France has forced a face mask manufacturer to cancel a major UK order as the coronavirus-inspired scramble for protective gear intensifies.The National Health Service ordered millions of masks from Valmy SAS near Lyon earlier this year as COVID-19 threatened.”

March 4:Jeff Labine of the Edmonton Journal reports: “Edmontonians are stockpiling essentials like toilet paper — leaving few products on shelves at some stores — in preparation for the possible spread of the novel coronavirus to Alberta.”

Toilet paper shelves are nearly empty at an Edmonton grocery store in the Terwillegar area on March 3, 2020.Shaughn Butts/SunMedia

March 4: David Staples, Edmonton Journal columnist on the issue of hoarding good: “Alberta is yet to have a confirmed case of coronavirus. Canada has only had a few dozen. But the dreaded disease is already hitting in the form of anxiety, doubt and endless questions. Essentially we’re all wondering just how bad this is going to be and what steps we can take to keep our own families and communities from harm… One response to coronavirus has been folks buying food and medical necessities so they can care for themselves if their family is infected and isolated for a few weeks. The Germans have a word for this, Hamsterkauf, which is based on hamsters loading up their cheeks with food when they’re under stress.

March 4: Ottawa’s Dan Gardner, a consultant and writer who specializes in forecasting and risk assessment, says when it comes to all any precaution we should engage in a simple cost-benefit analysis, looking at the potential problem and the cost of mitigating it, which is small in the case of buying food and supplies that will be used up over time in any case … Gardner also says he has much faith in Canada’s sound governance and health-care system when it comes to getting through the outbreak. “I do know that being in a high trust, well governed society like Canada is a really big advantage. There’s no country I would rather be in right now than Canada.”

March 4:Trudeau creates a COVID-19 committee to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, with Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos as vice-chair: “We need to keep alert, but we need to keep moving forward in a way that keeps Canadians safe and keeps our economy rolling.”

March 5: Canada confirms its first community case of COVID-19, which Hinshaw defines as a case with unknown origins that can’t be traced back to a particular international traveller.

March 6: CNN reports that North American mask importers and manufacturers are having trouble getting mask shipments out of China: “Industry experts say China is the world’s largest global supplier of medical face masks. While the Chinese Commerce Ministry says it’s not restricting exports of medical face masks, (U.S. company) Dealmed isn’t the only company facing a supply crunch. Medicom, a Canadian manufacturer, has three factories in China, but the Chinese government has requisitioned all production and nothing is being exported, according to the company’s COO, Guillaume Laverdure. Factories in France and Taiwan are subject to official export bans. ‘We estimate that around 80 percent of the face masks worldwide are manufactured in China,’ Laverdure said. ‘Overnight it was 80 percent of the world supply which was cut so that creates a huge demand on the existing production capacities outside of China.'”

March 7: Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says his province is ready: “The government and AHS (Alberta Health Services) and the Alberta emergency management agency have all been preparing for this since COVID-19 first appeared in China back in January.”

March 7: Coronavirus cases surge in Italy, Iran, South Korea, the U.S. and elsewhere. Many scientists say it’s plain that the world is in the grip of a pandemic, but the World Health Organization has so far resisted describing the crisis as such, reports The Associated Press: “Unless we’re convinced it’s uncontrollable, why (would) we call it a pandemic?” Ghebreyesus asks.

March 9: British Columbia announces Canada’s first death related to COVID-19, a man in his 80s with underlying health conditions.

March 9: The WHO again sends out advice on the use of masks: “Remember, a mask should only be used by health workers, care takers, and individuals with respiratory symptoms, such as fever and cough.”

March 9: In the House of Commons, Jeneroux says, “Hospitals across the country have been warning the government that there is a shortage of masks, protective equipment and beds. However, according to the minister’s health officials, the health system is well-prepared to deal with the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Canada. Now, finally, six weeks after the first confirmed case and now just after the first death in British Columbia, the Prime Minister has asked provinces for their state of readiness. Why is the minister saying the government is well prepared, when she is only asking provinces for their state of readiness today?”

Hajdu says: “The Prime Minister’s letter follows the one I sent to my counterparts not long ago, also requesting they put on paper exactly where they thought they were going to have shortages. We have received several responses from provinces and territories in terms of what kinds of needs they might have. We are working very closely with them to make sure we can provide them with the resources, whether it is equipment or whether it is financial resources. We will be there for provinces and territories.”

NDP MP Don Davies says: “The government assured Canadians our health system was well-prepared to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. However, HealthCareCAN, the advocacy group for Canada’s hospitals, is warning our system is stretched too thin, with dangerous shortages of critical care beds and protective equipment. It is calling for increased federal funding and much more testing. Today, the first death from the virus in B.C. was confirmed and we know things will get worse before they get better. Will the Liberals ensure hospitals have the resources they need to respond to COVID-19?”

Hajdu replies: “The simple answer is yes. This is the work we are conducting right now with provinces and territories to make sure they have the capacity should they see a surge of illness in their communities that require increased hospitalization.”

March 9: In an exclusive story, Reuters reports: “Millions of face masks stockpiled by Ontario in the aftermath of the SARS outbreak to protect health-care workers during a future epidemic have expired, according to provincial officials and documents, raising questions about the readiness of Canada’s most populous province to deal with the spreading coronavirus. Thirteen years ago, Ontario stockpiled some 55 million N95 masks and other medical equipment after the province bore the brunt of the SARS epidemic in Canada in 2002 and 2003. But provincial officials have confirmed that the masks in the stockpile have passed their expiration date and sidestepped questions about how many masks, including expired ones, remain. Public health officials have said masks may be less effective beyond the expiration date determined by the manufacturer. Ontario, which includes Canada’s largest city Toronto, said in 2007 it would buy 55 million N95 masks and other medical supplies to prepare for future epidemics. A report by the province’s auditor general, completed in December 2017, found that more than 80 percent of that stockpile had expired.”

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